Who was the most glamorous lady at Monaco’s annual Rose Ball?

65th edition of the Rose Ball given to the benefit of the Princess Grace Foundation

Did you know that the late Karl Lagerfeld came up with the idea of the Rose Ball, the annual charity gala in Monaco? I didn’t know that. Lagerfeld was quite close to several members of Monaco’s royal family, including Princess Caroline and her daughter Charlotte Casiraghi. Monaco does have a lot of balls and galas though, so I’ll excuse myself for not knowing the history of the Rose Ball.

This year’s Rose Ball included Prince Albert, Princess Caroline and all four of Caroline’s children – Andrea, Pierre and Charlotte Casiraghi, and Princess Alexandra of Hanover. Princess Charlene did not attend – I tend to believe that Caroline relishes any event where she gets to play the first lady of Monaco, so she was posed close to Albert for many of the photos. Andrea and Pierre brought their glamorous wives, Tatiana and Beatrice respectively. I sometimes wonder if there’s any sister-in-law drama – Beatrice comes from very old money and she’s extremely glamorous, where Tatiana just seems more low-key and hippie-ish (although Tatiana comes from money too). Meanwhile, Charlotte made an appearance with her boyfriend/fiance Dimitri Rassam. Charlotte gave birth to her second child last year, a son named Balthazar, with Dimitri as the father. But back in January, there were rumors that the relationship was already on the rocks. I’m glad that they’re still together and putting in coupled-up appearances. I wonder if they’ll marry this year?

Fashion notes: Charlotte wore Saint Laurent, Caroline wore Chanel (in honor of Lagerfeld), Beatrice wore Dior and Tatiana wore Giambattista Valli. Beatrice’s Dior is probably the best and most glamorous look. I’m really disappointed in Charlotte’s Saint Laurent (it was custom too, yikes). And Tatiana needs a more streamlined look.

65th edition of the Rose Ball given to the benefit of the Princess Grace Foundation

65th edition of the Rose Ball given to the benefit of the Princess Grace Foundation

65th edition of the Rose Ball given to the benefit of the Princess Grace Foundation

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

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54 Responses to “Who was the most glamorous lady at Monaco’s annual Rose Ball?”

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  1. PhD gossip says:

    Where is Stephanie?

    • Amy Tennant says:

      Good question!
      She was our rock-n-roll princess for so long!

    • Jane says:

      The one in the sunburst dress needs taupe shoes, and the one in the pink skirted dress needs pink shoes. How can I know that and they don’t?

    • Jaded says:

      I believe Stephanie has been banished from the family for her rather out of control hi-jinx with some pretty questionable men. She dated a bunch of actors then ended up with her bodyguard. They had a couple of kids, married in 1995 and divorced a year later. Then she hooked up with her head of security, had another child with him and broke up. THEN she took up with a married elephant trainer and joined the circus (this sounds like a cheap novel). A year later they broke up and she married a Portuguese acrobat from the same circus and they broke up a year later. Even for the notoriously bohemian Monaco royals apparently her father had had enough and pretty much booted her from the family.

      • Harryg says:

        Did she really (marry these circus people) or are you April Fooling us? 🙂
        I’m so suspicious of everything since my husband tricked me this morning.

      • Jaded says:

        Harryg: I actually forgot today was April Food’s Day! She did marry them and Prince Rainier finally had enough – off to the Tower of Shame for her, never to be seen again.

      • BeanieBean says:

        Harryg: Nope, she did run off to join the circus (with her men [one at a time]). One of her daughters was part of an elephant act, as I recall.
        Jaded: yes, but–she’s attended the Rose Ball several times in the fairly recent past, so that can’t be it. She’s their sister/aunt. She’s accepted. She’s family.

      • Harryg says:

        Thanks you both!

  2. Enny says:

    You glossed over the real gossip: WHERE WAS CHARLENE?!?!

    **FREE CHARLENE**

    • Seraphina says:

      I almost choked on my tea. Good one! Free Charlene!!!!!!

      • Lolo says:

        I thought Charlene usually skips this because it’s Caroline’s thing and I don’t think there is any love lost between those two ladies.

  3. BANANIE says:

    I adore the colorful one! I know the fit isn’t precise, but those colors and that pattern are perfect for spring!

    • BeanieBean says:

      It reminds me of the colors on those swirly hard candies or giant lollipop. I like it best as well. Om another note, I completely missed that Charlotte had her baby already. I was looking forward to her maternity fashion. She is just so stunning.

  4. Sarah_UK says:

    I love Princess Alexandra’s dress, she looks great.
    I actually don’t dislike Charlotte’s dress, I think she looks lovely here as well.

    • Amy Tennant says:

      Charlotte looks so much like her mother, I actually thought it was Caroline at first before realizing that she looked like Caroline in the ’80s, not Caroline older!

      • dj says:

        Charlotte does look exactly like her mother from the ‘80s. I did not realise I was looking at the daughter until your post. Wow. They are both beautiful.

  5. Lynne says:

    I forget how much stylists do until I see photos of a group who do not use them. And the family wouldn’t….but it shows the difference between Hollywood and everybody else.

  6. Kerfuffle says:

    Caroline usually wears Chanel for this event. And Tatiana Santo Domingo doesn’t just come from money, she comes from MONEY. Both Pierre and Andrea married very well.

    • Mel says:

      I think Tatiana must now be the wealthiest of them all no? Maybe even all put together? She inherited something like 3 billion after her father passed away. Maybe more.

  7. Eliza says:

    I think this family wears brands to say they wore them because while they fit they usually are awful dresses. They all look like 80s throw backs. Tatiana is best dressed because her style is more classic.

    • minx says:

      The ruffle on the bottom of Tatiana’s dress…just no. I don’t care if it’s on trend or not. The whole dress is matronly and her hair is not flattering at all.

  8. Mich says:

    Charlotte’s dress would have been fine without the tacky underboob cutout.

    • BeanieBean says:

      I think it will look better once she’s back to her original shape (if that happens after a second baby).

  9. Dee says:

    Wow, these outfits are appalling, with the exception of the nude sparkly dress with the gloves. That looks entirely appropriate.
    But black shoes with pink, yellow, baby blue, and white dress?
    An underboob cut out ?
    A crumpled up red garbage bag?
    Yuckers.

  10. manta says:

    It’s unfortunate that the most interesting dress of the bunch, Alexandra’s, is not identified .
    And Carole Bouquet, Dimitri’s mother and , to me, one of the most iconic égéries of Chanel, was there too.

    • Nikki says:

      Thank you for this tidbit: I didn’t know Carole Bouquet was his mother!! (Striking woman).

  11. Rae says:

    I’ll take a pass on all of them, but Tatiana’s would have been stunning if it fitted better and had a more feminine friendly silhouette.

  12. minx says:

    I’m surprised Charlotte would wear something like that, she usually has better taste.
    Beatrice gets my vote.

  13. Amy Tennant says:

    Caroline’s dress reminds me of one of my favorite Barbie dresses from childhood!

  14. lucy2 says:

    I like the beige sparkly one, but that’s about it.

  15. The Original Mia says:

    I liked Alexandra’s dress the best. Followed closely by Beatrice. Tatiana can’t dress to save her bohemian life. Charlotte and Caroline’s dresses are fine. Nothing special about them.

  16. Victoria says:

    Who’s the hottie in the middle of the two girls?

    I don’t which ones are Tatiana and the rest, please help?

    • Mrs.Krabapple says:

      The guy standing between the two girls is Dimitri Rassam, Charlotte’s supposed fiance.

      Tatiana (wife of Andrea Casiraghi, son of Princess Caroline) is wearing the solid red ruffled dress.

      Caroline (rightful ruler of Monaco) is wearing the black dress with pink ruffles exploding from the side.

      Charlotte (daughter of Princess Caroline) is wearing the pink/black dress with the under-boob cutout.

      Beatrice (wife of Pierre Casiraghi, Princess Caroline’s son) is wearing the beige sparkly dress.

      Alexandra (daughter of Princess Caroline and Ernst August) is wearing the multi-colored dress that looks like a swirly gumdrop. That was my favorite look (except for the black shoes).

  17. holly hobby says:

    Boy Grace’s grandsons look older than they really are. The older grandson especially is not aging well.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      Both of the grandson’s look much better with longer hair. I do not think anyone in these pictures look that great for the amount of money that was spent or would have been spent if they paid for the clothes and did not get loaners.

    • supersoft says:

      They are said to be heavily into drugs/drinking.

    • AryasMum says:

      Didn’t Andrea and his wife have some issues with substance abuse?

  18. Naddie says:

    The lady in beige dress, only.

  19. Mrs.Krabapple says:

    “Caroline relishes any event where she gets to play the first lady of Monaco” — I made a passing reference in an earlier post, but I wanted to write this separately. Caroline is the rightful ruler of Monaco. In this day and age, there is ZERO reason to pass her over in favor of her younger brother. And after Grace died, Caroline stepped up and acted as de facto first lady of Monaco, and did a good job at it (even though she was only 25 at the time). She also assumed Grace’s charities, and has remained committed to charitable work. She has a degree from the Sorbonne in Philosophy and minors in Biology and Psychology. I’m just sorry Albert gets to (legally) elbow his way into Caroline’s reign.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      I feel the same way about Anne, The Princess Royal. IMHO, Princess Anne would be the best candidate to succeed QEII when the time comes.

      • SK says:

        Except that Anne is not the eldest – Charles is.

        I 100% agree that Caroline should rule Monaco. She’d be better at it, she deserves it more, and there is no reason for it not to be her other than some bullsh-t old-fashioned sexism.

    • Cee says:

      People should be more outraged on Gabriella’s behalf. Born before her twin brother yet she’s not the future Princess of Monaco.

  20. SpilldatT says:

    The only two women I know for sure is Caroline and Charlotte.

    Can someone please let me know everyone else is?

    The girl in the sparkly dress with the swirling candy print – who is she? I really like the dress, it suits her youthful looks.

    The lady in the red dress looks like she showed up for an entirely different event? I dislike the pulled back hair, makes the entire sister-wives dress even more worse. I suspect styled differently it would look a lot better especially since the woman looks like she has very pretty features.

    As for Caroline’s outfit, I’m sure it’s some vintage Chanel, but it looks hideous. The pink ruffles reminds me of bed-skirts. She looks better from the waist up when you can’t see that taffeta or silk pink mess.

    • Em says:

      The girl in the sparkly dress is Alexandra, Caroline’s youngest daughter and her only child with her current husband, Ernst August.

      Next to her in the group shot (second from the left) is Dmitri Rassam, Charlotte’s fiance, followed by Charlotte, who is the middle of Caroline’s children with Stefano Casiraghi.

      Next to Charlotte is Pierre Casiraghi (the youngest of the Casiraghi kids) and his wife, Beatrice Borromeo, in the gold sparkly dress.

      At the end of the line is Andrea Casiraghi (Caroline’s oldest) and his wife, Tatianna Santo Domingo, in the red dress.

      • SpilldatT says:

        @EM Thank you for naming them, I was confused otherwise. I know I’ve seen photos of the others previously, but didn’t know who was who.

  21. DS9 says:

    These people are the Daytime Emmy’s of royalty and my god does it show in their fashion choices.

    These are the dresses George Clooney’s expiration date gfs would wear on the red carpet.

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